Annealing effects on PECVD-grown Si rich aSiNx thin films

Abstract

Abstract We report on the effect of the annealing temperature (range 600–1100 °C) on amorphous silicon-rich nitride films deposited by PECVD at 300 °C. The evolution of Raman spectra, room temperature photoluminescence, and optical absorption has been investigated on samples with different stoichiometry. Evidence of partial phase separation, with silicon-rich and nitrogen-rich regions, in the as-grown material has been inferred, with the thermal treatments inducing further reorganization of the two phases. Nucleation of silicon nanocrystals has been detected only after the highest temperature treatment on the sample with larger silicon content.